Less than 30 percent of housing in North East London meets the suitability requirements for in-home dialysis treatment. Most of Barts Health’s 1200 kidney patients are treated in hospital, which is often very tiring and inflexible. There is also a gap in transitional care for young adults moving to adult care. Without adequate support, they can experience a high level of disengagement and anxiety, resulting in life-long challenges on managing a chronic illness.
The centre will be co-designed with patients to deliver care most appropriate to their needs. Dr Ravi Rajakariar, Clinical Director for renal at Barts Health, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to improve the experience of our dialysis patients and develop an innovative model of self-care, as well as a unit designed by our young adults.”